Type-grab.



Nn. 658,944. Para i d p A; Down e Uct. 2, |900.

TYPE GRAB.

(Application tiled .Tune 15, 1900.)

in: Novms PETERS zio, HmoLm-la, wumuorom n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER DOW, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-GRAB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,944, dated October 2, 1900.

Application filed J une 15, 1900.

T @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER DOW, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of New York city, State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Grabs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in type-grabs-that is to say, au instrument which is intended to take hold of a line of type as the same may be set upin a type-case and move the same from the case without disturbing the relative position of the types in the column of type. It is particularly useful in that class of machinesi known as ftype-distributers, where the type are distributed from a printing-form into type-cases according to an alphabeticalarrangement. The particular utility of the instrument which is the subject-matter of my present invention Vis that of grasping a line of type as it is distributed in such cases and removing the same without disturbing the uniform arrangement of the type and in the same Way placing them in other cases and leaving them in such other cases.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of my instrument with a line of type in its grasp. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line :c of Fig. 1, and Fig. t is an end view of Fig. 1.

I have indicated the several features of my invention by figures, referring to like parts by like figures.

1 is a plate which is secured to the handle 2, and convenient means of making this union is by the slot 4 in the handle 2, which is secured thereto by the bolt 5. 3, &c., represent brackets mounted on the face of the plate 1. 6 6 represent a shaft mounted in the brackets 3. 7 isanother plate preferably made with the overturned edge or rib 8.

9, te., represent brackets secured to the under side of the plate 7. The shaft 6 6 passes through these brackets.

10 is a thumb-piece secured to the plate 7.

11 11 are helical springs mounted on the shaft 6 6 and having their terminal bearings 12 12, one upon the plate land the other upon the plate 7.

serial No. 20.395. \N0 model.)

13-is a line of type as it is taken from the type-case.

14 is a nick or slot on one side of the type.

15 is a casing in which the type are supported, and 16 is a bar suitably secured to the plate l beneath the plate`7, which is intended to act as an abutment to limit the distance to which the type may be introduced between the plates 1 and 7.

The operation of this instrument is as follows: The handle 2 is grasped by the hand and the thumb is caused to rest upon the thumb-plate 10. A slight pressure exerted will cause the edges of the plates 1 and 7 to separate. The instrument is then placed over a line of type resting in a case, such as l5, until the surface of the type bears upon the abutment 16 and until the edge 8 rests over the slot 14 of the type. This slot is usually equidistant from the surface of the type, so that when the type is introduced into the grab and the surface thereof in contact with its abutment 16 the slotlet is beneath the edge 8. The pressure of the hand is then released, and by the normal pressure of the spring 11 the jaws of the grab seize the ends of the type. The jaw or plate 1, having a fiat surface, sustains the type on one side, while the jaw or plate 7, having a'surface 8`substantiaully at right angles to the flat surface of the jaw 1, enters the slot 14 of the type and holds the same firmly, soit will be seen that by this grab a line of type of any desired length may be lifted out of a case similar to 15 and conveyed to another case of a similar structure and introduced therein without disturbing theline of type. The pressure being again exerted to open the grab, the' type will be left in position in the case to which they have been removed.

What I claim is-f 1.Y As a ltype-grab two parallel jaws secured together adapted to open and receive between them a line of type, one of said jaws being provided with a rib or edge to enter a nick on the edges of the types, substantially as described.

2. As a type-grab two parallel jaws secured together adapted to open and receive between them a line of type, one of said jaws being provided with a rib or edge to enter a nick 011 the edges of 'the types, and an abutment interposed between the jaws to limit the distance to which the type may be introduced between the jaws, substantially as described.

3. As a type-grab, two parallel jaws pivotally connected, one of said jaws presenting to the other a fiat surface and the other jaw presenting to said fiat surface an edge at right angles thereto, and means to normally hold said jaws together and means to open the same, substantially as described.

4. Asa type-grab, two parallel jaws pivotally connected, one of said jaws presenting to the other a fiat surface and the other jaw presenting to said flat surface an edge at right angles thereto, an abutment interposed between the jaws to limit the distance to which type may be introduced therein, and means to normally hold said jaws together, and means to open the same, substantially as described.

5. As a type-grab, two parallel blades suit.- ably hinged together with a spring interposed to normally retain their edges in contact; a handle secured to one blade and a thumbplate secured to the other blade, one of said plates having a flat bearing-surface and the other plate having an overturned edge at. right angles to the surface of the flat plate, and an abutment secured to the Hat plate in a position to limit the distance to which the type may be introduced between the blades, substantially as described.

Signed by me at New York city, New York, this 14th day of June, 1900.

ALEXANDER DOV.

Witnesses:

PAUL BONYNGE, EMMA W. FINLAYsoN. 

